Day one of the second Test in Brisbane probably wasn’t how Steve Smith envisioned his first on the job as Australian captain. Opener Murali Vijay made life miserable for the Aussies, collecting a whopping first-innings total of 144 to lead India to 4-311 at stumps.
Vijay became the first Indian opener since Sunil Gavaskar in 1977 to score a century in Brisbane, overcoming early difficulty against the speed of the Australian pace attack and going on to score his big total from 213 deliveries after being dropped on 36 by Shaun Marsh.
Michael Clarke, hero of the last week’s first Test in Adelaide, complimented Vijay’s from his hospital bed, praising the batsman’s resolve in not being tempted by balls directed outside the off-stump.
“Vijay has left the ball really well in Adelaide and so far in this Test. Think we need to make him play a little more early in his innings,” the injured captain tweeted while recovering from hamstring surgery on Tuesday.
Nathan Lyon finally managed the breakthrough when Vijay missed a lofted hit over mid-off, allowing keeper Brad Haddin to whip the ball back onto the stumps while the 30-year-old was left stranded with his bat hanging in air and both feet outside of the crease.
Debutant Josh Hazlewood collected two wickets from his 15 overs (five maidens) at the cost of a cheap 44 runs, however fellow pace bowlers Mitchell Johnson (15 overs, 64 runs, no wickets) and Mitchell Starc didn’t fare as well (14 overs, 56 runs, no wickets).
The Marsh brothers didn’t enjoy a great day; 23-year-old Mitchell was forced from the field with a hamstring injury after six overs and a wicket while Shaun dropped two catches, the crucial missed wicket of Vijay at third slip and then again at 102, misjudging what would have been a spectacular one-handed grab.
India will kick off day two’s action with Ajinkya Rahane on 75 from 122 deliveries and Rohit Sharma on 26.
Photo: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images.
